Saving Katya Read Online Free Page A

much fun.” Amusement floated off the child’s voice and delight brightened her eyes.
    “Sweetie, I’m so glad you had fun,” Kate said, clasping the child’s hands in hers. She smiled at Angeline, another waitress from the diner who’d come along to help out with Katya. But Kate’s smile hid the truth. Angeline was just one more person destined to find out about Kate and Alexei’s history.
    Looks like my past is finally catching up with me . Many people, including Debra and others in Prufrock, had asked about Katya’s father, more than once. Kate’s answer had always been elusive and simple—her daughter’s father, whom Kate had named as Keith Carlson, was no longer in the picture.
    “Do you want to go back to the outdoor rink?” Kate wished she had the power to hide the child’s golden hair and azure eyes. It wouldn’t take a genius to figure out that both had come from Alexei.
    “With you? Tomorrow?”
    Kate wrestled with the temptation to appease Katya, for the moment, with empty promises. The thought of disappointing her daughter pulled Kate into a one shouldered shrug. “Not tomorrow, sweetie.” The discontent fading Katya’s smile tugged at Kate’s heartstrings. “After the Opening Ceremonies.” She tried to soothe Katya’s despair with a smile and a nod. “We’ll go then, okay? I promise.”
    “Pinky swear?” Katya asked, holding up a crooked little finger.
    Kate hooked her finger around Katya’s. “Pinky swear.”
    “No forgetting.” Katya shook her forefinger at Kate.
    “No forgetting.” Kate’s nod lingered long after her voice trailed off. Sometimes, she thought Katya was too mature for her own good. Then again, maybe that’d help if things got out of hand with Alexei.
    Katya clapped and giggled with animation.
    “Good. Then it’s settled.” Kate squeezed Katya’s hands. “You and I have a date on the ice.”
    “Are we going to get to see the skaters compete, too?” Katya batted her baby blues.
    Kate fell into the trap headfirst and willingly. “Yes, we are.” She laced her fingers with Katya’s and led her to a nearby couch. “Debra and I got the tickets while we were out.”
    Katya jumped up and down and squealed her approval.
    “Now...” Kate turned her in the direction of an inner door inside the suite. “Get your bath started. I’ll be in to help you with your hair in a minute.”
    “I’ll help her set the water’s temperature,” Angeline said, following close behind Katya.
    As soon as Angeline and Katya were out of sight, Debra leaned toward Kate. “Don’t even think about canceling tonight,” she said just above her breath.
    “Staying here is not a good idea.” Kate’s fear hardened her tone.
    “Leaving is worse.” Debra’s voice was too calm to suit Kate.
    Debra glanced at the closed door inside the suite and turned back to Kate. “I don’t know how he’s going to react to Katya. If he already knows or what,” she said softly. “What I do know is...he owes you and he should help you be the best mother you can be to his child. And that includes helping you keep your sight.”
    Yeah, okay. Debra had a point. Kate didn’t have to like it, but she did acknowledge it. When she made the choice to come to the Olympics in search of an endorsement deal, deep down inside she knew the possibility that she’d run into Alexei was real. She’d just thought Alexei would ignore her and that would be that—so long as she didn’t draw too much attention to herself. Too much attention and Katya might get thrown into the spotlight. Nothing good could come from that—especially if Alexei was going to reject her.
    Kate had always assumed that Alexei had received her letters and chose to discard them. Fleeting thoughts that he’d never gotten them sometimes lingered in the back of her mind, but her logical sense wouldn’t let her entertain the notion with much clout.
    Now that she’d heard someone else say it, fear consumed her. What if he didn’t